Why Don't You Share With Me
by blom-erzi
Summary: It was a busy day in town today. Everyday was bustling with a fervent crowd of people, some apprehensively making their way to their mindless jobs, others hurrying home to enjoy their time alone. Whichever one you happened to be, you always seemed to be hurrying (Ameripan one shot.) Hetalia and its characters belong respectively to Hidekaz Himaruya.


He knew he shouldn't have started riding it.

A free bicycle taken from the outside of a dumpster- what better way to start off summer?

The red bike had looked welcoming- new, even. Yes, it was a tad bit wobbly, but one could still ride it.

Kiku Honda _loved_ to ride bikes.

Yes, maybe it _had_ been a bad idea to ride a wobbly bike, one that wasn't for certain garbage, or _free_ per se, but the owner (if there _was_ one) did not come running out of the unknown, screaming bloody murder.

It was the freedom of riding them - riding bikes almost felt like flying, if you closed your eyes and lifted your hands from the handles, closely resembling a roller coaster.

Kiku felt suffocated. So many younger siblings. Such small children! So much stress from school. Not the grades or the work, which came very easily. No, it was the people. The ephemeral occasion of finding a friend was ridiculous. Kiku, ending his second year of college could not seem to find any friends. As simple as the act was, to simply strike up a _conversation_ was so mindlessly hard for Kiku; some skyrocketing trepidation with some unknown source extinguished the already faltering flame of hope.

These facts only proved to be half true. Kiku had two other friends, Ludwig and Feliciano. Kiku almost wanted to say they weren't good enough, but he cringed at himself for even _thinking_ such a thing.

Yes, of course they were _enough_ , but he could not deny something was definitely... _Lacking_.

Maybe it was the constant dreaming. Day dreaming and night dreaming of an elusive blossom of love, a desperate seed of bonding to allow a weak bud be sent into full bloom.

But it was no longer spring.

Kiku had always wanted to fall in love during spring - to feel his heart grow and mature as plants would. Which was odd, to say the least. The amount of eloquence he put into his thoughts was enough to persuade anybody who spoke to him, but didn't most people want a summer love?  
Well, Kiku didn't. Summer love was far too ephemeral for Kiku's taste. When one thinks of a summer love, they picture two teenagers being all over each other during a summer vacation, to swear they were in love, only to break it off as friends came along. Their images were far too important; when one thinks of summer love, they think of something sweet, but something that does not last.  
Well, Kiku was no teenager, nor was he looking for someone to throw away. As he grew older, as time inevitably passed, he wanted nothing more but to settle down. To settle down with someone nice, to grow with said person. He was not looking for anything short! He knew everything was temporary, and yet... He wanted more. Short and sweet. What was short and sweet? The fragrance of a flower? Cocoa during winter? Well, flowers die. Eventually, cocoa turns cool, and the air turns warm with a new season. Why settle for such a thing...? Something foolish, something with no guarantee? Why not the sky? The sky was what he aspired to be, he and a person. The sky changes; from crisp, vibrant blue mornings, to yellow afternoons, to red evenings and purple sunsets, and eventually... A calm, creamy, blue night sky.  
It changes, and yet, it's always there. The sky is eternal; that is what Kiku wished. Practical? No. Not in the least. But the dreams of being everlasting did not seem so far fetched in such a lonely mind as his.

But alas, as it was now late June, that hope had died along with everything else.

It was so hot, as the summers always were in California. However, Kiku did not really like the heat. He could handle the cold, and even welcomed it with open arms, as bitter as it could be. After all, coldness was the natural state of everything - a place without warmth, a place lacking energy. Yes, the cold was a pain to most people, but Kiku didn't mind it. He liked experiencing every season, even the harsher ones.

Hauling the bike to a stop, he stopped his inner thoughts for a second, finally deciding to take in his surroundings.

It was a busy day in town today. Everyday was bustling with a fervent crowd of people, some apprehensively making their way to their mindless jobs, others hurrying home to enjoy their time alone. Whichever one you happened to be, you always seemed to be hurrying.

And Kiku Honda seemed to be in a hurry as well.

But for what? What was he really in a hurry for? He had no pressing matters to attend to, no person to hurry home to. Not only was Kiku Honda boring, but his life was, too. Everything was painfully uneventful. Disappointing.  
His life was so remarkably unremarkable, he would have more fun watching another human being watch every single leaf fall from a tree.

His father was always working, and... And he had no lover.

There he went, letting his mind wander _that_ route again!

He should only be focusing on studying, not such a subject. A subject with a taboo around it! But, truth be told, he didn't need to really study. He had a remarkable memory and a wit as sharp as a knife, so why not? Why not fantasize a little? He could afford to take his mind off of everything for a while, as he currently wasn't in school. He would start his third year of year of college in September, and that was months away. He should be able to relax. He shouldn't be stressed out at this time. But really, all he wanted to do was feel summer go by fast side by side with somebody to hold his hand.  
He was just... painfully lonely. And so bored.

He knew he sounded needy, and even go as far to say desperate or even despicable. If he wanted more friends, or a relationship, he knew he should just _go out_ and _find_ it himself. Not wait around like _always_.

Still dangerously lost in his own thoughts, he turned the corner to a more desolate area, a place no one ever seemed to turn on. It was the long way home, yes, but it was a lot prettier than the busy way. He wanted to clear his head as well, and flowers seemed to always do the trick. Shaking his head at himself, he tried his best to shrug such a pressing matter off. He knew it was not a good thing to do, and almost never worked, but... He was still here, right? Laughing a bit, he slowly took his arms from the handles, he put them on either side of him, making him look like a bird in flight.

Closing his eyes, he heard no one around him. Thankful no prying eyes could see his stupid position and his worried face, he squeezed his eyes shut, letting an airy laugh float from his lips. No one was there to see it. No care in the world. No school, no friendship and no hidden love. Letting his built up anxiety and worry out, he let out another unsteady bubbly laugh, arms still spread in a bird like position, bike speeding down a long, winding road. Hot tears he felt coming flew out in a steady stream, becoming cooler at the touch of the air. Yes, it was the end product of the stress, the anxiety, the plain yet harrowing fact that he couldn't seem to make anyone like him! Shaking his head, he still tried his hardest to keep that easy going grin on his face, trying to smile at the fact that the whole situation he had gotten himself into was, _ultimately_ his fault.

Feeling the bike suddenly start to shudder as if it were winter, his eyes flew open, drying immediately, and grabbed madly at the handles. Trying to control the shuddering bike, he shouted a little, trying to regain control of his bike with strong hands. Starting to grimace as he saw a person in his way, he tried to make his usually soft voice heard, a panicky tone making it hard and loud.

"H-Hey, watch out!"

Swerving the bike left to the grass, he stupidly brought his arms up to shield his face, abandoning the handles of the bike. But finding it was alright, the bike slammed into the very person he had been steering away from, yet the stranger held him up before he could fall with the bike.

Feeling the man's strong arms around him, he did not know whether to swoon or to push him away, but looking up to meet his face, he felt as if it would be right to shy away. He was looking back intently, a bit of dirt on his nose.

"A-Are you alright?" He asked, letting go of him, wiping the dirt from his otherwise clean shirt. Looking down at the red bike he groaned, acting as if he _didn't_ just get hit with it. Kiku nodded meagerly, tucking some hair behind his ear. Oh, his father would get _so_ angry with him...

"Ah man, so _that's_ where my bike went! Pops always said not to leave it around, not next to the trash... You... _You_ have to help me fix it!" He said in an accusatory tone, picking the bike back up with one strong arm. Bending down and searching in the grass, he pushed his glasses higher on his face, picking up a few shining objects.

"Here, hold these," he grunted, dumping the parts in Kiku's hand. Without even asking Kiku if he had time, he looked behind him, gesturing him to follow.  
"Come with me," He said, turning back around, walking in the same direction Kiku was going. Even if the man couldn't see, or if he had crashed into him moments ago, he nodded eagerly, without another thought of consideration. Whether this was out of desperation or guilt cannot quite be said.

Staring at the back of the guy's head, trying not to marvel at how blond he was, he kept his mouth shut, not exactly knowing what to say. Maybe something along the lines of an apology? He _did_ technically steal his bike, _break_ it, then _ram_ it into the owner. _C'mon! You want a friend!_ he thought desperately, tightening his grip on the loose parts. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, the man turned around without warning, nearly hitting Kiku with the bike, and began to walk backwards.

"Sooo... What's _your_ name?" He asked almost playfully. Without waiting for the answer, he smiled brightly. "I'm Alfred Jones. Alfred F. Jones! The F stands for Frederick," He said in a friendly manner, the smile never leaving his face. Really, he should be mad to some extent at this small man, but he showed no signs of anything other than friendliness. It was welcoming, if not relieving for Kiku. Eager to form something with this man, he nodded, repeating the name in his head.

"Uh, cool. I'm Kiku Honda... Kiku H. Honda. The... The H stands for Hoshi..." He said lamely, rubbing the back of his head, almost dropping the parts in the process. He didn't really like his middle name. He was told by his father the name meant "star", but... Kiku never really liked that. Sure. Stars were pretty. Who _didn't_ like stars? But for it to be a name, middle or not, it sounded girly. Yes, stars were pretty. But Kiku Honda did not want to be _pretty_. Kiku Honda _unfortunately_ knew how he looked, and knew he couldn't change anything about it, as desperately as he'd try. He knew he had a girlish frame, soft features that complimented his small shoulders, and petite, frail hands. People often mistook him for a woman, much to his displeasure. Hoping his new friend(?) did not see him in such a way, he immediately intervened.

"U-Uh, by the way, if you were wondering, I'm a boy..." He added hastily, casting a nervous glance at his chest. There was nothing there. How _could_ he be? Alfred Frederick Jones laughed, patting him roughly on the back with his free hand, nearly knocking the wind out of Kiku with his strength. "What, you? A girl? I couldn't begin to imagine," He said, shaking his head warily. Careful not to let his eyes pass over anything but Kiku's face, he continued. "And Kiku Honda? Hoshi? Are you Japanese? Do you speak Japanese?" He asked quickly, stopping in his tracks. Staring at Kiku, he urged him to go on.

He felt the urge to shy away from Alfred, to shun the happy light he was emitting, but knew better. This kind of doubt and reject was exactly what was destroying his ties with the outside world. Swallowing, he nodded, directing his attention from his feet to look him full in the face.

"Yes, and, uh, haha, no. But I _can_ say, 'konnichiwa,'" He replied, trying his best to pronounce it properly. For some reason, Kiku did not want to disappoint this Alfred F. Jones. But instead of criticizing his lack of Japanese skill, his eyes lit up, and he began walking once more.

"Wow, that's cool! You know, my _dad_ can speak another language. French. I wish I could, but it's hard." He replied shortly, as if dismissing himself. His lack of knowledge for any other language was disappointing, but he hoped to change that sometime soon.

"Hey, can you hand me that wrench?" Alfred held out a hand slightly shining with sweat and dirt as he attempted to fix his bike. Clicking his tongue in what Kiku could only assume was impatience, he wiped his forehead, adjusting his glasses slightly in order to see his hands better. As the small part slipped out of his hand and made a distinct _ding_ as it made contact with the ground, Kiku picked it up for him timidly. As Alfred was trying to focus, he hadn't said many words to Kiku for the past hour, and the most Kiku seemed to be "helping" with was handing him the things he needed. The small snippets of conversation were usually short lived as Alfred would trail off to fiddle with something. But only as the sun started to fall in its resting place in the sky Alfred seemed interested in conversation.

Putting down his bike for a moment, he sat on the ground cross legged next to Kiku, wiping his hands on his canvas like pants, and looked up to see the setting sun, staining the sky such an occurring orange color that one did not find it special anymore.

"Hey. Do you like soda?"

Kiku half smiled at his bizarre attempt to strike up conversation, but did not object.

"Um, yes... Coca-Cola, if I had to choose..." He was determinately not looking at Alfred. After so many hours of near silence, such an ordinary question seemed strangely intimate. But turning to face him, he found he had no reason to feel uncomfortable; Alfred was not looking at him, but rather facing the orange sky with such languor to match the air that Kiku almost wanted to make him drink a soda. But finding Alfred was not answering, Kiku decided it was up to him to speak up.

"Hey, Alfred F. Jones... I'm very sorry I broke such a nice bike." He winced at himself, not expecting to explore this subject now; after all, it did not seem like a very pleasant way to start a conversation, but it seemed necessary. After all, if it weren't for Kiku, Alfred could be riding this very shiny red bike now through the summer laziness, perhaps taking a delayed route to the park.

It was only then that Alfred faced him. His eyes actually looked very tired for someone who seemed to have as much energy as he, but Kiku supposed fixating on one task for many hours did that. He mentally cringed again, realizing he himself had basically put them there. Knowing Kiku himself fixated on homework for hours at a time, he suddenly felt very subconscious; did his eyes always look as worn as Alfred's did now?

"... Hm? Oh, don't sweat it... I like fixing things, you know... And plus, you seem interesting enough," He chuckled, adjusting his sitting position. Finding a slight smirk from Alfred, it was only then Kiku noticed how brightly white Alfred's teeth shone.

"Of course, I'll forgive you. But I ask for only one thing," Alfred continued, trying to keep his tone cool. His voice and small smile betrayed his words, showing that he did, in fact, forgive Kiku. But Kiku did not seem to pick up on such a thing, as he was not used to it, and furrowed his eyebrows, mind jumping to money. Just as he was about to stammer out a response, Alfred patted him on the back for a split second, then stood, holding out his hand.

"Help me work on this from now on."

Without following his look, Kiku knew he meant his bike. Hesitantly, he took his hand, allowing Alfred to help him stand. And as Alfred took the gesture as the answer of the acceptance he wanted, he turned towards his front door, and the small moment of physical contact was over. For a small moment, Kiku believed Alfred was leaving him there; and even though he had spent only three short hours in the presence of him in an uneasy quiet, he felt quite crestfallen at this.  
Turning away, he shrugged it off, and began to walk towards the road, already able to hear the scolding he would endure at his father's hand. Sighing in spite of himself, he kicked a pebble out of fatigue, shoving his hands in his pockets. He had unintentionally stolen a bike, been confronted, hoped to _make friends_ with him, and had been left to walk home in the oppressive summer stillness. Was Kiku really so desperate to try to pursue a friendship such as this? The boy seemed to be a handful... A handful, and... Calling his name.

"Here. Where are you going? I just went inside to get you a drink!" Catching up with him, he handed Kiku a glass bottle of Coca-Cola, already opened. Listening closely, Kiku could hear the two caps clinking against each other inside of Alfred's pocket.

And without discussing the matter, Alfred walked Kiku home through the summer stillness that seemed to stir.  
The air was perhaps not as languid as it seemed. Or was it just a trick of the mind?

"Alright... We're here."  
Kiku stood outside his front door, aware it was already beginning to become dark outside. The lights from the inside of the house illuminated Kiku and Alfred's path in a welcoming way. Even through the darkness, Kiku could tell Alfred held that look of curiousness as it so often did while they walked, making him look almost like a small child. The sounds of screaming laughter from what sounded like multiple children made Alfred almost jump in surprise, only to find that Kiku gave him a look and a jerk of the shoulder that said plainly, "trust me, I don't know either."

Awkwardly shaking his hand, Kiku made towards the door to find it thrown open, and moving out of the way, it narrowly missed his nose.

Before Kiku had any time to chastise the small boy, he found his arms around his waist, and the irritated expression almost instantly dissolved (not to Kiku's knowledge, however) which did not go unnoticed by Alfred's watchful eyes. Clear as the color of his eyes, he watched the scene, a smile threatening to bless his face.

"Kiku, Kiku, I've been waiting for you to come home... Please, play with me!" Fishing something large out of his too - small pockets, Alfred saw the boy presented a battered baseball, but judging by the proud expression on his face, he did not seem to think it was tattered or ugly in the slightest.

Kiku patted his smaller brother's head, sighing in the process. It seemed he had done this very thing everyday. "Yong Soo, it's too dark now... I'll come home earlier tomorrow, I promise... And no, you know we can't play in the house!"  
"You say that _every_ day!"

Gently guiding the small boy's back inside the house, Kiku turned to Alfred before stepping over the threshold, the yellowness of the porch light obscuring the naturally soft features of his face.  
"Well, see you tomorrow, then?"  
Seeing Alfred nod, he promptly shut the door behind him, leaving Alfred in darkness.  
And walking away, Alfred swore he could hear Kiku scolding each and every one of the children.

Kiku sat next to Alfred as he worked on the bike, merely handing him tools he could not name and talking. He groaned, even if he was not the one doing the work; it had been hours! It was the third day, now... Kiku did not know he broke the bike _this_ bad!

Shaking his head, he looked at his watch. Even if it wasn't yet close to sundown, he did not want to disappoint his younger brother again. Getting up with a sigh, Alfred put down his tools immediately, his question answered before he had the time to ask it.  
"Sorry, I should go... I think my baby brother would cry if I let him down again, so..."  
He let himself trail off; he was feeling much more motivated to improve his siblings' moods. He suspected it had something to do with helping _someone_ working on a bike.

Alfred smiled in response, and dusted himself off.  
"How cute! I want to walk you home, though," He said, adjusting his glasses again.  
Kiku cocked his eyebrow. "Why?"  
Alfred walked beside him, and took off his glasses.  
"Because you're fun," He answered immediately, his voice sounding excited.  
Kiku looked down. "Yes, of course."

After about a mile, Alfred began watching him.  
"Hey. How could you be so lonely with so many brothers?" He asked casually. It almost bothered Kiku; what would've been seen as an intrusion of privacy to anyone else did not seem out of the ordinary for him.  
Kiku scowled at him before answering.  
"I'm not lonely. And I have sisters _too_ , you know," He answered in a drawling voice.

Once again, Alfred only looked Jim over in interest.  
"...Why do you treat being lonely as if it were lowly? Why are you ashamed of something so normal?" He asked slowly, trying to phrase it in a soft way. It didn't work.

Kiku looked straight ahead, ignoring all temptations to be condescending. "And why do you care?" He asked, his voice level.

Alfred, too looked forward, evaluating his options.  
"Well... You're really cool. I feel drawn to you? You stole my bike, unintentionally, crashed into me with it, broke it, and now you help me fix it talk to me without being annoyed."

Kiku was shocked; he had been so caught up in his own problems, he had forgotten other people had their own insecurities... _You_ _talk_ _to_ _mewithout_ _being_ _annoyed_.  
He did not speak it in a irksome, sulking tone, but rather... Plainly. As plain as the clouds in the sky. In other words, as plainly as he spoke everything.  
Kiku felt somehow... Excited by this. _He_ _takes_ _a_ _liking_ _to_ _me!_  
What a defining moment!

"I... Thank you. I apologize for my harsh tone..."  
Alfred laughed, and it seemed to rustle the leaves.  
"What harsh tone? Dude, your voice sounds the same no matter _what_ you say!"  
Kiku could not help but to smile at this.  
 _Please, give_ _me_ _a_ _chance_ _at_ _being_ _close_ _to_ _you._

Stopping at Kiku's house, he smiled, asking if he could tomorrow.  
"There's about only one day left til it's fixed... Tomorrow's it."

Kiku felt staggered at that. He was so caught up in his own world, at his own infinite possibility of getting close to him. Instead, he put on a stern tone, the most stern Alfred had ever heard it.  
"Actually, do you have anything else to work on? I..."  
He lowered his head for a split second.  
 _No_ _time_ _to_ _falter!_  
He tried to state things as plainly as Alfred did.  
"I want to be close to you. Please, let me help you fix more things!"

He stared, transfixed at such an offer. Then, taking Kiku completely by surprise, his face began to turn a deep shade of red, and he pressed his lips together.  
He let a sigh of relief leave his lips.

"Ah, thank God. I can finally stop stalling with that damned bike. One day of maintenance would've fixed it, you know."

Kiku took this all in, and laughed, shoving his arm.  
"Alfred, oh my _God_!"

Alfred began to walk away, before he turned back around.  
Swiftly hugging Kiku, he planted a kiss on the top of his head.  
How daring!

He began to walk away, not seeing Kiku's reaction. And it was, in all it's glory, truly boring.  
A blank face!  
So emotionless. On the inside, he was dumbfounded, happy. After only four days of knowing him, Alfred had done something so daring!  
Well, for _them_ it seemed darinf. Plenty of people did such things upon the day of meeting. However, that was simply _not_ their style.  
Kiku walked into his house, calling to his brother.  
As of today, he felt a little less lonelier.

Infinity may be achievable. He could only prove this with time. Kiku Honda may not have the love he was searching for, but it would come, all in due time, with a little effort and growth.

Walking out again with a baseball, Kiku finally remembered something.  
"Oh, hey! What about the bike?" He called out, cupping his hands around his mouth.  
Alfred turned as smiled, walking backwards.  
"Why don't you share with me?"

 **Just a little thing I wrote out of boredom. I tried focusing solely on romance this time, as I have trouble writing romance... But, it has a boring effect.**


End file.
